Social Security Agreement between Canada and the Federative Republic of Brazil

Agreement comes into force August 1, 2014

OTTAWA, Aug. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, has announced that the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Federative Republic of Brazil comes into force today, August 1, 2014. This Agreement will enable Canada and Brazil to coordinate pension benefits and contributions for people who have lived or worked in both countries. The Agreement will coordinate the operation of Canada's Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan programs with the comparable pension programs of Brazil.

This Agreement supports the goals of Canada's Strategy for Engagement in the Americas and its vision of a more prosperous hemisphere, a foreign policy priority since 2007.

Quick Facts

This new Agreement will benefit Canada and Brazil by:

• helping eligible individuals qualify for old age, disability and survivor benefits based on their affiliation to each country's pension system;
• permitting continuity of social security coverage when an employee is sent to work temporarily in the other country and eliminating situations where the employer and employee might have to contribute to two countries' social security programs for the same work. As a result, employees sent by their Canadian employers to work temporarily in Brazil can continue to contribute to the Canada Pension Plan and are exempt from contributing to the comparable pension programs in Brazil for the same work;
• exempting Canadian employers from paying Brazilian pension plan contributions for their employees sent to work temporarily in Brazil. As well, Brazilian companies and their employees sent to work in Canada will benefit from the same advantages.This will result in substantial savings and increase the economic competitiveness of Canadian and Brazilian companies operating in each other's territory.

Quote

"Our government is committed to ensuring the retirement security of Canadians whether they have lived or worked in Canada or abroad. This Agreement demonstrates the continued spirit of partnership and collaboration between our two countries and recognizes the valuable contribution Brazilian-Canadians have made to making Canada stronger."
- The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Associated Link

Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Federative Republic of Brazil

Brazil - Pensions and Benefits - Service Canada

Backgrounder

The Agreement on Social Security will enable Canada and Brazil to coordinate the operation of Canada's Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan programs with the comparable pension programs of Brazil. This new Agreement will benefit Canada and Brazil by:

• helping eligible individuals qualify for old age, disability and survivor benefits based on their affiliation to each country's pension system; and
• permitting continuity of social security coverage when an employee is sent to work temporarily in the other country and eliminating situations where the employer and employee might have to contribute to two countries' social security programs for the same work. As a result, employees sent by their Canadian employers to work temporarily in Brazil can continue to contribute to the Canada Pension Plan and are exempt from contributing to the comparable pension programs in Brazil for the same work. The Agreement also exempts Canadian employers from paying Brazilian pension plan contributions for their employees sent to work temporarily in Brazil. As well, Brazilian companies and their employees sent to work in Canada will benefit from the same advantages.This will result in substantial savings and increase the economic competitiveness of Canadian and Brazilian companies operating in each other's territory.

Canada has signed 58 international social security agreements, of which 55 are in force, with the following countries:

Agreements have also been signed with India, Peru and Serbia, but are not yet in force. They will enter into force once Canada and each of these countries have completed their respective legal processes. 

SOURCE: Employment and Social Development Canada